Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-01-10
NEW WATER WORKS.
The Completion Of the Enterprise
Nearly Arrived at.
One Of the Best Systems Of Its Kind in
the Country.
Reservoir. Mains, Filtering House and
Pumps.
sixty-Three Hydrant. Delivered Over to
the city.

49,
prosperity and thrift Of city or town ii 10
thorough system of water works, furnishing
an abundant and never falling supply of pure
water for its Inhabitants. Not only does it
promote the industries and the business in
terests Of city but Is = sanitary measure
alone a water system is worth many times its
cost But to go still further, there 10 no
method yet discovered which is such an ade-
quate protection to the ignitible property of
a place as that furnished by we'll constructed
modern water works. Back
Asfar as History Reaches
the question of water supply has even bsen
a prominent one in connection with the
growth and development of the great cities of
the world. The services of the most eminent
engineers have been devoted to the study of
plans and designs for the building Of alter
.ystems and some Of the most noted mechani-
cal and engineering feats of both ancient
and modern times have been achieved
in this direction. To-day travellers fnd
among the remains of the famous cities of
the ancient world the remains of the acque-
duets which convened the water for the use
of their people and which were 50 solidly
huu puit, thHt tuct uCtuod anu
plan are in many instances quite distinctly
traceable. The wealth of the most oppulent
communities has been poured out again aud
again to obtain q bounteou. water supply, A.
is attested by the extensive and
Costly Equipments
of our own great cities, where the very rivers
are diverted from their courses and after
flowing through artificial beds are smptied
tor the use of the cities inhabitants.
Our own beautiful city, although not quite
equal in size to some of her sisters, is none
the less city and superior water supply is
None the Less Essential
tor the happiness. health and prosperous con.
diton of her inhabitants. This she has OBJ
tanned and within few days for the hrst
time the goal has been reached. For
years il has been recognized
BY our citizens that the water system Of the
city was not what it should be.
To-day We have a spacious reservoir, twelve
miles of mains and pressure of
l25 pounds to the square inch on Water
street, throwing q stream
Over the TalIest Building
which can be found on the street
from the mill to the Journal Office. Our new
system Of which We may justly be proud of
is one which when entirely completed will
be one of the most complete and honestly
constructed Of any in the country. 1t was
built by private enterprise and At this time it
10 not amiss that we should trace the estab
lishment of the system from its inception up
to the present writing.
Our citizens will RENE mber that many years
ago the late Mr.. Warren Johnson conceived
the id ca of supplying Augusta with water,
u l,-ka
The johnson Water Company,
with reservsir on the hill west
and south Of the State House,
giving hmited supply to n portion of the
west side of the city. After Mr.. Johnson's
death. the majority of this stock of this COM
PAW WAS held by his widow. who died lit
tie more than year ago, and last spring her
executors placed on the market her stock in
this company. This WAS purchased by gen.
tleman in Portland, who sold it t. Mr. George
2. Wescoit, who also purchased Of Mr..
Joseph A. Holman his interest in the compa-
nv, ard the few shares which wers held by
MIR. Gardner c. Vose and Judge White
hou.e, thus obtaining the control of all the
stock of the corporation. The legislature
two wears ago gave enlarged power to this
company, and Mr.. Wescott having associated
with himself few gentlemen, early last
spring the question of furnish
ing an adequate and competent
supply of water 10 this city, was madA
A Matter of Public Discussion.
In April and May many public meetings were
held; the matter was vigorously presented
and was favored by the city govern
ment, but before they acted, it was submit
ted to vote of the citizens, who voted by
wards, at Granite Hall, check lists being
used. This meeting WAS held on Monday, May
10 h. and the citizens upon large vote, by
Majority of 385,
voted to advise the city government to make
a contract with the Augusta Water Co. The
contract was shortly after entered into
(Which was published in full in our columns
at the time) 1t being for twenty years. The
new company at once commenced operations.
They erected, after purchasing of the city
and of Mr. Albert J. Fuller a tract Of land
south and west of the Poor Farm.
ALarge Reservoir,
with capacity of 100000 gallons. This
reservoir was built by Mr.. Thomss Shanna-
han of Portland, and the work was most
thoroughly and faithfully done. In its build.
ing from 80 to 100 men have been employed
and % teams-l7 double and 5 singles
horses and yoke of oxen furnishing the mo-
tive power. The reservoir is 10 feet in
height and can be distinctly seen from the
north end, and east side where it becomes
n prominent object to person looking west.
In the construction of the reservoir care
was taken to make IT
Perfectly Water Tight,
and to do this some seven thousand cubic
yards of clay were used, obtained from bank
on Western avenue. This clay started
from deep trench beneath the centre of
the embankment and rose to within two feet
Of the top, a wall averaging Ave feet in thick
ness we'll pudded and rolled. Adjoining this
At the surface of the ground, after sod and
soil had been removed, was q thickness Of
clay Two feet thick passing to the inside slope
and thence down the slope to another trench
which acted as footing for the gravel and
paving. Overlying the entire bottom clay
was puddled of different depths according to
the aature of the material beneath. This
clay had its connection with the slope puddle.
Inside OF this clay wall and lining and beneath
the paving. above the original surface. was
placed the best clay material the reservoir
site afforded rolled in layers of eight inches
in depth. The clay wall spoken of above
was rolled in six inch layers and not allowed
to
Dry or Crack i'm the Sun.
The utmost care and supervision was used 10
this respect.
The poorer material was placed outside Of
this wall of clay intended to act as q weight,